US5419183A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Methods and apparatus using a hydrocarbon gel to isolate mainline valves in a pipeline during a hydrotest
Assignee: Hydrochem LLC
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Filing: 1993-06-18
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Granted: 1995-05-30
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Expires: 2013-06-18
Abstract
Abstract In accordance with illustrative embodiments of the present invention, the existing valves in a crude oil, gas, or other product pipeline are positively sealed off to allow a pressure test to be made of a section or segment of the pipeline between the valves. The section is packed with a hydrocarbon or aqueous liquid. A mixture of a highly viscous hydrocarbon based gel material and a lost-circulation material are injected into the pipeline segment adjacent each valve to form plugs in the line. The gel plugs are squeezed under pressure against the internal components of each valve to cause all leakage paths therein to be bridged over and sealed off. The pipeline segment then is pressure tested to determine if there are any leaks therein, after which the gel is flushed out of the line and broken down into a linear pumpable state for disposal.
Inventors
- 👤 Mark S. Keys
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 13:55
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01M; G01M3/00; G01M3/02; G01M3/26; G01M3/28; G01M3/2853; F; F16; F16L; F16L55/00; F16L55/10; F16L55/1003
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
111 words
A method of sealing off a valve at one end of a segment of a pipeline which carries a product to thereby enable said segment to be pressure tested comprising the steps of: filling said segment with a hydrocarbon liquid and then closing said valve; injecting a selected quantity of a highly viscous hydrocarbon based gel having a lost-circulation material suspended therein into said segment adjacent said valve; squeezing said gel and lost-circulation material into any leakage paths present in the internal components of said valve, and applying test pressure to said hydrocarbon liquid over a period of time to determine whether there are leaks in said segment of said pipeline.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
111 words
A method of sealing off a valve at one end of a segment of a pipeline which carries a product to thereby enable said segment to be pressure tested comprising the steps of: filling said segment with a hydrocarbon liquid and then closing said valve; injecting a selected quantity of a highly viscous hydrocarbon based gel having a lost-circulation material suspended therein into said segment adjacent said valve; squeezing said gel and lost-circulation material into any leakage paths present in the internal components of said valve, and applying test pressure to said hydrocarbon liquid over a period of time to determine whether there are leaks in said segment of said pipeline.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said lost-circulation material is constituted by cellophane flakes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1 including the further steps of removing said gel from said segment; breaking down said gel into a linear pumpable state, and then disposing of said gel.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said flushing step is carried out by opening a bleed port; and allowing pressure in said segment to cause said gel and lost-circulation material to be flushed out of the region adjacent said valve via said bleed port.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said lost-circulation material is selected from a group comprising cellophane flakes, sawdust, cracked pepper, naphtha, mothball, waxy resin beads, and gilsonite.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said lost circulation material is added to the gel in the range of 0.25-1% by weight.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
76 words
A method of sealing off a valve at one end of a segment of a product pipeline to enable said segment to be pressure tested, comprising: closing said valve while said segment is filled with a fluid; injecting into said segment adjacent said valve a selected quantity of a highly viscous hydrocarbon-based gel in which a lost circulation material is suspended; and squeezing said gel and lost circulation material into any leakage paths through said valve.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
76 words
A method of sealing off a valve at one end of a segment of a product pipeline to enable said segment to be pressure tested, comprising: closing said valve while said segment is filled with a fluid; injecting into said segment adjacent said valve a selected quantity of a highly viscous hydrocarbon-based gel in which a lost circulation material is suspended; and squeezing said gel and lost circulation material into any leakage paths through said valve.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said lost circulation material is selected from the group consisting of flakes, chips, beads, granules and fibrous lost circulation materials.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 8 wherein said lost circulation material is selected from the group consisting of sawdust, cracked pepper, naphtha, mothballs, waxy resin beads, cellophane and gilsonite.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said lost circulation material is cellophane flakes.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said lost circulation material comprises about 0.25-1.0 percent-by-weight of said gel.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said gel comprises a non-polar, liquid hydrocarbon and a gelling amount of a gelling agent.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 12 wherein said gelling agent is comprised of a phosphate ester and an alkali metal aluminate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said phosphate ester is ethyl oleic phosphate.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 12 wherein said gelling agent comprises about 1.5-5.0 percent-by-volume of said gel.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 12 wherein said liquid hydrocarbon is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons and chlorinated derivatives thereof.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
92 words
A method of pressure testing a segment of a product pipeline having at least one valve at one end thereof, comprising: closing said valve while said segment is filled with a fluid; injecting into said segment adjacent said valve a selected quantity of a highly viscous hydrocarbon-based gel in which a lost circulation material is suspended; squeezing said gel and lost circulation material into any leakage paths through said valve; and applying a known test pressure to said fluid to determine whether there are any leaks in said segment of said pipeline.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
92 words
A method of pressure testing a segment of a product pipeline having at least one valve at one end thereof, comprising: closing said valve while said segment is filled with a fluid; injecting into said segment adjacent said valve a selected quantity of a highly viscous hydrocarbon-based gel in which a lost circulation material is suspended; squeezing said gel and lost circulation material into any leakage paths through said valve; and applying a known test pressure to said fluid to determine whether there are any leaks in said segment of said pipeline.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said test pressure is applied and monitored over a period of time.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 17 further comprising flushing said gel out of said segment, converting said gel into a linear pumpable state, and disposing of said gel.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 19 wherein said gel is flushed from said segment by pumping.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 19 wherein said gel is flushed from said segment through said valve after opening said valve.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 19 wherein said gel is flushed from said segment through a bleed port in said segment adjacent said valve after opening said bleed port.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said fluid is a liquid selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbon and aqueous liquids.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said gel comprises a non-polar, liquid hydrocarbon and a gelling amount of a gelling agent.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
110 words
A method of pressure testing a segment of a product pipeline having at least one valve at one end thereof, comprising; filling said segment with a fluid; closing said valve while said segment is filled with said fluid; injecting into said segment adjacent said valve a selected quantity of a highly viscous hydrocarbon-based gel comprising a non-polar, liquid hydrocarbon, a gelling amount of a gelling agent and a lost circulation material suspended in said gel; squeezing said gel and lost circulation material into any leakage paths through said valve; and applying a known pressure to said fluid to determine whether there are any leaks in said segment of said pipeline.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
110 words
A method of pressure testing a segment of a product pipeline having at least one valve at one end thereof, comprising; filling said segment with a fluid; closing said valve while said segment is filled with said fluid; injecting into said segment adjacent said valve a selected quantity of a highly viscous hydrocarbon-based gel comprising a non-polar, liquid hydrocarbon, a gelling amount of a gelling agent and a lost circulation material suspended in said gel; squeezing said gel and lost circulation material into any leakage paths through said valve; and applying a known pressure to said fluid to determine whether there are any leaks in said segment of said pipeline.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
88 words
The method of claim 25 wherein said liquid hydrocarbon is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons and chlorinated derivatives thereof; said gelling agent comprises about 1.5-5.0 percent-by-volume of said gel and comprises a phosphate ester and an alkali metal aluminate; and said lost circulation material comprises about 0.25-1.0 percent-by-weight of said gel and is selected from the group consisting of flakes, chips, beads, granules and fibrous matter selected from the group consisting of sawdust, cracked pepper, naphtha, mothballs, waxy resin beads, cellophane and gilsonite.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5197324A
Cited
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